persuaded Catriona to leave, or rather, not to return, to her

cousin's, placing her instead with a family of Gregorys--decent

people, quite at the Advocate's disposition, and in whom she might

have the more confidence because they were of his own clan and

family. These kept her private till all was ripe, heated and

helped her to attempt her father's rescue, and after she was

discharged from prison received her again into the same secrecy.

Thus Prestongrange obtained and used his instrument; nor did there

leak out the smallest word of his acquaintance with the daughter of

James More. There was some whispering, of course, upon the escape

of that discredited person; but the Government replied by a show of

rigour, one of the cell porters was flogged, the lieutenant of the

guard (my poor friend, Duncansby) was broken of his rank, and as

for Catriona, all men were well enough pleased that her fault

should be passed by in silence.

I could never induce Miss Grant to carry back an answer. "No," she

would say, when I persisted, "I am going to keep the big feet out

of the platter." This was the more hard to bear, as I was aware

she saw my little friend many times in the week, and carried her my

news whenever (as she said) I "had behaved myself." At last she

treated me to what she called an indulgence, and I thought rather

more of a banter. She was certainly a strong, almost a violent,

friend to all she liked, chief among whom was a certain frail old

gentlewoman, very blind and very witty, who dwelt on the top of a

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